Apparatus for the manufacture of seats and backs for chairs and like furniture.



E. E. PECK. APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE 0F SEATS AND BACKS FOR CHAIRS AND UKE FURNITURE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 24, I9l4.

Patented May 25, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

MARTA@ III mf "ITI-"un THE MORRIS Pbmlw -L|THO.. WASHINGTON, D. C

. E. E. PECK. APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE 0F SEATS AND BACKS FOR CHAIRS AND LIKE FURNITURE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 24, |914.

2 SHEETS-'SHEET 2.

PatentedMay 25, 1915.

r'r IIIII L IIIII WIT/VESSES 1151i: NoRRlS PETERS C0.. PHOTO-LITHO., WASHINGTON, D4 CV UNITE@ STATES PATENT @FFIQEQ EDMUNI) E. PECK, OF GRAND 'VIEVT 0N HUDSON, NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SEATS AND BACKS FOR CHAIRS AND LIKE FURNITURE.

nmosae.

Application filed April 24, 1914. Serial No. 834,065fi To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDMUND E. PEoK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand View on Hudson, in the county of Rockland and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Seats and Backs for Chairs and like Furniture, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates tol apparatus for making cushioned seats or backs Provided with a cover of flexible material, and is particularly adapted for making seats for chairs, but it may be readily employed in making seats and backs'for stools, lounges, sofas, and like articles.

I am aware that apparatus has heretofore been employed in the manufacture of chair seats, to tightly press a leather cover and a padding of cushioning material against the face of a wooden bottom and hold the leather taut, while the edges are secured to the bottom. In such apparatus, however, the leather cover is held against movement by fixed clamps and sharp pins, which puncture the leather, and the cover is pressed directly against a surface of wood while the tightly clamped edges are subjected to undue strain and are often badly torn by the sharp pins.

rlhe object of my present invention is to overcome these difiiculties, and in carrying out the same I provide a shaper or matrix of suitable material and shape having elastic material stretched across its top, upon which the flexible cover is laid. I also provide a removable clamping frame to hold the edges of the flexible cover against the top edges of the matrix with sufficient tension to prevent undue slipping of the cover, but at the same time to allow a certain degree of movement under pressure to prevent tearing of the material and to permit the flexible cover to stretch gradually, thereby assuring a smooth and correct formation of the cushioned seat without danger of injury to its edges.

The details of construction are hereinafter particularly described.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l is a front view, partly in elevation and partly in section, showing my invention and illustrating the parts in the positions occupied when the seat has been pressed to shape. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the matrix and Specication of Letters Patent.

were @Marea-raie clamping frame. Fig. 3 is a section on the line y, y, of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the clamping frame detached, and Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the matrix, separated from the other parts.

l, 2, 3 andl t represent the supporting frame.

rllhe shaper or matrix rests upon the horizontal member l of the frame. This matrix is Lto be made of a shape according to the shape of the seat or back desired to be constructed, and it may be of any suitable material, preferably of wood. It consists of an exterior-ly flat bottom 5, side walls 6 and 7, front wall 8, and back wall 9. rIhe bottom 5 preferably extends slightly beyond the exterior of these walls. 0n the interior of the matrix the side walls converge or are curved toward the center of the top surface of the bottom 5. rI`he top surfaces of the walls 6, 7, 8, 9, of the matrix are preferably provided with spaced transverse grooves or recesses l2, to receive rubber bands or strips of elastic fabric 13, which are stretched across the top of the matrix from front to back and from side to side, thus crossing each other, their ends being turned over said walls and secured to the outer surfaces thereof by tacks or in any suitable way. Strips 10 of wood or other suitable material, are placed on top of the walls 6, 7, 8, 9, of the matrix, over the elastic material and are secured thereto by tacks, or in any suitable manner. These strips 10 extend approximately the distance of the interior of the matrix, but do not meet each other, thereby leaving a space 11 at each corner at the top of the matrix.

It will be readily seen that instead of separate bands 13, of elastic material, a single sheet of rubber or elastic fabric might be employed, although I prefer to employ a plurality of crossed elastic bands. In case a single sheet of elastic material is employed, the grooves or recesses l2, would be unnecessary, as the elastic material might be stretched over the smooth upper surface of the walls of the matrix. Neither are said recesses 1Q absolutely necessary where a plu rality of elastic bands are employed, but I prefer to provide them, so that the top surfaces of the elastic bands will not have too great frictional contact with the under surfaces of the strips 10.

I provide a clamping frame of a shape Ell@ , thus clamping the edges of the flexible cover upon the upper surfaces of the walls of correspondingto theshape' of the topof the matrix. This frame consists of the members 15, 16, 17 and 18, three of these members'being rigidly secured together at one end, while the fourth member is hinged Vat one end to the end of one of the other members, the free end of the hinged member being provided with a hook 19'to engage an eye 20 on the end of ,one ofy the fixed members.

21 indicates spaced cleats secured'to the outer surface of the frame members andvextending ybelow the bottoms thereof so that when the clamping frame isplaced-upon the top of the matrix/these cleats lieiagainst the outer surfaces ofthe walls ofthe matrix-and hold the frame in its lproper position.

22 indicates a presser vblock having a shank 23, `provided centrally in its topwith asocket I24.

25 represents an elongated screw having a reduced lower smooth surfaced end, which fitsinto the socket 24 on the shan-k '23 of the presser block. l

The member 2 of the supporting frame has a vertical opening through it centrallyr of the upright members 3, 4, of said frame.

l27 is a boss on the lunderside ofthe frame member 2. This lboss has a central screwthreaded hole'in alinement with the opening Vin the :member v2.

.28 is a bushing in the upper part ofthe opening in the member f2, which bushing is interiorly :screw threaded. ',The screw 25 operates within the screw-threaded holes in the bushing `28v and boss 27.

.29 is a hand bar by which the screw 25 is turned. I y y.

30 indicates the cover for the seat, which cover is =of leather or other suitable flexible material. l,

31 represents the cushioning material, which .may be of any suitable character.

32 is the seat bottom which is preferably of wood.

It may be solid, but I prefer that the center part be cut away to lighten it, fand that this yopening be covered on the top (or that part coming in contact with the cushionin material) by a comparatively thin piece o board or other suitable material Y, 33, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. I also prefer that the bottom 32 be provided with flanges 34, to receive the edges of the flexible cover 30 when theyare folded over as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. l y

When a seat is about to be made, the matrix is laid upon the supportingmember 1, between the uprights 3 and 4, and in vertical alinement with the screw 25. u The flexible cover 30 is then placed over the top of the matrix where it will be held in a horizontal position by the elastic material 13, The clamping fralnevis then placedl in position,

'cushioned back thereto.

Iand '-the presser block 22 is placed upon the bottom 32, when by turning the screw 25 the partslare pressed into the position shown in Fig. 1. During this operation the flexible cover is stretched gradually,'as the elastic material upon which it rests expands, therebyassuringa smooth and perfectly formed cushioned seat, without danger of tearing -theedges of the cover, as theseedges are only clampedA by the clamping frame with sufficient tension to hold" them properly in .position while the pressure is applied. Now by releasing the hook 1 9 onfthe clamping frame, this frame may be'withd'rawn from the apparatus and laid aside, whichr gives free access for the workmen to fold overthe edgesof the flexible coverupon the flanges 34 of the seat bottom where theyy are secured in any suitable manner, preferably by tacks. The spaces 11 at the corners ofthe matrix allow for cutting the flexible materialat sich points to facilitate the folding ofl its e ges.y

fIn-.making chair backs, by thisapparatus, it is preferable that the edges'of the flexible cover be left without folding, and that glue or other suitable adhesive materialbe appliedl to such edges so that 'the back board may be pressed thereon, thus securing the It will `be understood that by turning the screw 25 in the reverse direction the presser block 22 maybe removed and the cushioned chair seat withdrawnfrom the matrix in a finished condition, when the operation may be lrepeated upon another seat.

The supporting frame may be of any desired length so that a number of these devices may be arranged thereon adjacent each other, or separated only by the uprights y3 and 4. l Y

I 'claim as my invention:

1. vIn an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a matrix, elastic material extended across the top thereof and secured thereto, a clamping frame, a presser block, and means for operating said block.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a matrix, aplurality of longitudinal and transverse elastic Y bands stretched -across the top of said matrix with their ends secured thereto,ra clamping frame, a presser block, and means for operating said block. p

3. In 'an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a matrix, a plu.- rality of elastic bands stretched across the top of said matrix and securedthereto, a clamping frame fitting the top of said ma trilx, means for `holding said clamping yframe in position, said frame clamping the edges of a flexible cover between it and the top edges of said matrix, cushioning material upon said flexible cover, a chair bottom over said cushioning material, a presser block upon said bottom, and means for operating said block.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a matrix, a plurality of elastic bands stretched across the 10 top of said matrix With their ends secured thereto, a clamping frame, a presser block, and means for operating said block.

Signed by me this 18th day of April, 1914.

EDMUND E. PECK. l/Vitnesses:

BERTI-IA M. ALLEN, J. B. LE BLANC.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of' Patents, Washington, D. C. 

